Moving forward, individuals will face punishment simply for opening distribution sites, even if they did not directly produce illegally filmed materials.

Additionally, investigative agencies will be permitted to use hacking to delete sexually exploitative materials circulating on illegal sites and gather evidence.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the Korea Communications Commission, and the Korean National Police Agency announced comprehensive response measures against illegal sites containing these provisions today.

These agencies decided to revise the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes so that individuals who open illegal sites can be punished, much like current criminal law penalizes not only gamblers but also those who open gambling houses.

Furthermore, Special Investigation Teams for Illegal Sites will be established and operated within the Seoul, Busan, Gyeonggi Nambu, and Jeonnam Provincial Police Agencies to pursue proactive investigations targeting the masterminds of operations, while expanding cooperation with overseas agencies such as the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

In particular, an "active defense system" will be introduced, allowing investigative agencies to directly access illegal sites to collect clues and delete original data.

Countries like the United Kingdom and Australia, which have introduced the active defense system—also referred to as "legal hacking"—permit hacking upon the issuance of a warrant, strictly limited to the specified purposes.

In addition, sanctions to choke off the funding sources of illegal sites will be strengthened.

Legal grounds will be established to prohibit the placement of advertisements on illegal sites in order to block their primary revenue source.

Moreover, the suspension of accounts used to operate illegal sites will be pursued through the "enhanced due diligence" system under the Act on Reporting and Using Specified Financial Transaction Information.

Measures will also be pursued to mandate platform operators to delete and report child and adolescent sexually exploitative materials upon discovery.

From 2021 until last year, there were a total of 17,716 digital sex crimes, including the production and distribution of illegally filmed materials, investigated by police based on victim reports domestically.

(Photo: Yonhap News)